Young people who read are happier!

Readers know that books and stories can help you escape from your real-life problems, but new research has shown that young people who read are happier than those who don't.

If you enjoy reading and writing in your free time, you are likely to have much better mental wellbeing than others of your age who don't, according to a new report published by the National Literacy Trust.

What's more, those who enjoy reading and writing the most and who read or write daily are three times more likely to have better levels of mental wellbeing than children who don't.

The report is based on a survey of nearly 50,000 UK school children aged eight to 18. It found that young people who are the most engaged with reading and writing are much happier with their lives than children who are the least engaged. Also, children with good reading skills are three times more likely to be happier than their peers with below expected reading skills.

However, as young people move from primary to secondary school, their levels of reading and writing, together with their mental wellbeing, tend to fall.